Free film screenings in October: Japanese, German, Spanish film festivals

Looking for something to watch this October without spending on movie tickets?

Several film festivals in the Philippines will offer free screenings of Japanese, German, and Spanish films throughout the month, giving moviegoers a chance to discover films from different countries and cultures.

Here are three festivals to check out.

Japanese Film Festival

The Japan Foundation is bringing back the Japanese Film Festival (JFF) 2026, which will run from October 1 to November 29 in six cities and eight venues across the Philippines.

With “Shared Treasure. Shared Stories” as this year’s theme, the festival will feature 16 Japanese films, including contemporary movies, classics, and animation.

Opening the festival is the award-winning film “KOKUHO,” which is set in the traditional world of kabuki. The line up also includes Akira Kurosawa's “Throne of Blood,” Studio Ghibli's “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind,” “UNDER NINJA,” and “TOKYO TAXI.”

Screenings will be held in partnership with SM Supermalls and SM Cinema in Megamall, Baguio, Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, Lanang, CDO Downtown, and North EDSA.

German Film Festival

KinoFest: German Film Festival 2026 is returning from October 15 to 18, with screenings happening at GH Ortigas Cinema in Greenhills Mall.

The festival will showcase contemporary German films, all with English subtitles.

The festival opens on October 15 with the award-winning true story “ROSE” at Cinema 1 of GH Ortigas Cinema in San Juan. Cocktails will begin at 5 p.m., followed by the film screening at 7 p.m.

KinoFest will also feature KinoFest Special 2026, which brings three Filipino films into the festival lineup.

The special program, titled “Intersections,” will screen Joanne Cesario's short “film Invisible Labor,” Ryan Machado's feature film “Rumaragasa (Raging),” and Cris Bringas' short documentary “Body Count.”

The three films explore themes including memory, labor, trauma, intimacy, and grief.

A post-screening talk with the filmmakers will follow the October 17 program.

Manila Spanish Film Festival

Also known as "Pelicula! Pelikula!" the Manila Spanish Film Festival happens from October 4 to 11 at Power Plant Cinema 2.

Moviegoers can choose from free films including “Rondallas,” “La cena,” “El cautivo,” “El desencanto,” “The Room Next Door,” “Maspalomas,” “Los domingos,” “Tengo sueños eléctricos,” “Vino la noche,” “Laponia,” “Cyclone,” “Sirāt,” “We the Hispanos,” “Los tigres,” “Mensaje en una botella,” “Mariposas negras,” and “L'Olivia i el terratrèmol invisible.”

Here is the screening schedule:

October 5

2 p.m. - Rondallas

5 p.m. - La cena

7:30 p.m. - El cautivo

October 6

2 p.m. - El desencanto

5 p.m. - The Room Next Door

7:30 p.m. - Maspalomas

October 7

2 p.m. - Los domingos

5 p.m. - Tengo sueños eléctricos

7:30 p.m. - Vino la noche

October 8

2 p.m. - Laponia

5 p.m. - Cyclone

7:30 p.m. - Sirāt

October 9

2 p.m. - We the Hispanos

5 p.m. - El cautivo

7:30 p.m. - Los tigres

9:45 p.m. - Mensaje en una botella

October 10

2 p.m. - Mariposas negras

5 p.m. - Los domingos

7:30 p.m. - La cena

October 11

2 p.m. - L'Olivia i el terratrèmol invisible